C'est fini

Sunday morning, 6th. Left the apartment with our packed bags and headed for the airport in a taxi (€35). We checked in and made our way through customs and immigration to look for something to eat. We could only find Macca's - at least they make an almost decent coffee. Got called to line up for the plane at 9:30 and finally boarded at 10:20.
Immediately after take off we got served breakfast (our second) and settled in for a long flight. We landed in Singapore at 5:30 am local time, but not before we were served another breakfast (that's three). Unfortunately, our next leg didn't take off for another seventeen!!! hours.
We tried to stay awake with coffee, more food, walking around the terminal, even a free bus tour of the city. We survived until 4:00 pm when we were able to get into the room we had booked in the terminal hotel and crashed until 10:00 pm giving us time to get refreshed and a quick bite before our final flight that left at 00:45 am.
Pretty soon after take off, we got served another meal!
Landed in Brisbane at about 10:30 where Myka picked us up. Spent the night in Brisbane and drove home on Wednesday morning.
Beautiful Kingscliff - ahhh!

Barça update

It was an early start and we joined the queue for the Sagrada Familia, we usually don't bother with audio guides but found this one very helpful. It is a truly amazing building with an incredible history. Gaudi's understanding of nature and mathematics helped him create his masterpiece, though it's not to everyone's taste it would be impossible not to be in awe of its creator. Inside the columns soared to the distant roof, spreading like the trunks of trees.

The glass, the light, the detail were all truly amazing. We have wondered why each of the hundreds of tour groups happen to stop outside our window and continue their spiel but until today have only overheard many languages we couldn't understand but today we snuck into the back of an English group and found out that when the cathedral is completed (supposedly in 2026 - no way I say) the front door will be just across the road and where we are sitting will be demolished to create a new square and appropriately majestic entrance. I don't think the people living here should be worried about moving anytime soon though. Once the building is finished there will be no entry fee and it will be a regular church. Guess they are in no hurry to finish - just saying. We then headed 2 metro stops away to find some other Gaudi buildings. Casa Milà and Casa Batllo are other examples of this man's extravagant imagination.

La Ramblas

Another day walking around this amazing city. We started later than usual. Paella and sangria for dinner last night and a late stroll around the local area meant a bit of a sleep-in this morning.
We decided to join a walking tour of the old city, our guide Juan Carlos, actually a New Yorker (the name gave it away didn't it) did a great job of explaining the history of the city that had its foundations in Roman times. We walked around the old castle, passed the steps that Columbus trod - how great is that - when he returned from the new world.

 Juan Carlos pointed out things that we would have easily missed and he was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about all sorts of things from medieval history to the civil war (This is a church facade that was bombed during the civil war. The scars from the blast have been left as a sort of memorial.)

and the great artists who have lived here.

We walked past the Barcelona Cathedral (that we only got to see from the outside) and heard about the various local patron saints and their gruesome deaths. A visit back here and to the local museum will be on the cards if we can fit it in. The tour lasted nearly 3 hours and we enjoyed every moment of it.

A quick drink (beer for Chris and Sangria for me) with all the tour group was a fun way to end, good company and lots of travel stories. We then had a late (very late - close to 4 o'clock) lunch with an American couple who we met on the walk. History, new friends, good food and exercise all rolled into one great experience. What more could we ask for.
We did intend to stay on La Ramblas but foot weary we decided to head back to the apartment.
We hope to make an early start and get in line at the Sagrada Familia before the tour groups descend in their hundreds. I reckon we have a good chance as the queue starts only a hundred yards from our front door, but some of those tour guides are very determined so it may be every man for himself!

Weary

Started the day by catching the Metro (easy to follow directions, clean and never have had to wait more than 2 minutes -hear that Sydney!) to Parc Güell (also known as Gaudi Park). We found the street of escalators, so heading up to it was reasonably easy. Unfortunately no escalators going down.
The park is amazing - the man obviously thought differently from the rest of us. The shapes and mosaics scattered throughout are extraordinary.  From the gingerbread style gatehouses to the columns and mosaic benches it is hard to take it all in.

To sit and let your mind wander would have been great but near impossible because of the crowds and the many photo opportunities.
Let's play "Where's Wally?"

Also watched the illegal souvenir sellers playing cat and mouse with the police, these guys had to be fit as they kept having to run away uphill. A few hours roaming was very enjoyable.
This afternoon we headed into La Rambla, a wide pedestrian boulevard Barcelona's answer to the Champs Élysées, though it doesn't take itself quite so seriously. We walked the length, detouring into narrow streets, an old plaça and a colourful street market.
This covered market was filled with the most amazing sights and smells. Wonderful fresh fruit, lots of delicious fruit salad and juices, and vegetables - whole stalls just selling different kinds of mushrooms, fresh and dried. Meat, fish and cheeses everywhere. Sweets made from marzipan, chocolates and candy -a sweet-tooth's paradise. Couldn't go past the fresh fruit salad though (think I overloaded on sweet stuff in France).

We walked as far as the harbour, took pictures of Columbus on his column (very impressive) and walked back up past the human statues (more photo opportunities),

the artists and flower stalls and souvenir stands all selling the same things including Barcelona FC rip-off gear.
Headed back via the Metro (crowded this time). I'm sitting looking out the window at the huge number of weary looking tourists, trudging behind tour leaders (umbrellas held high), happy to wait in line for ages to go into the Sagrada Familia. We haven't ventured inside. I'm very, very impressed just by the exterior. Still so much work going on. I tell you, that man was a genius.

Adieu la belle France - Hola España!

For our last day in France, we walked a section of the pilgrims' trail, the Camino de Santiago de Composela. If you have seen the film, "The Way", you would know that this ancient pilgrims' route has various starting points in France and Spain; there are a couple of ways across the Pyrenees and the trails converge on the cathedral in Santiago de Campostela. I'm not saying how much of the trail we walked but we did locate a number (two is a number) of the trail markers,

saw many other pilgrims (or joggers) on the path and we were back to the apartment in time for lunch.The trail follows l'Aude river through Carcassonne which has a number of crossings and a weir.

We later decided to take a restful trip down the Canal du Midi on one of the many canal boats catering to tourists like us. The canal begins in Toulouse, heads south-east through Carcassonne and down to sea level at Narbonne. You can actually travel from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic along this and other canals and links through a number of rivers. There are quite a few locks on the canal, some multi-stage ones, but we only travelled through two single ones.

And so to Spain ...
We had a very early start, train at 7:30 and still dark (summer time is still operating). Change of trains at Narbonne and on to Barcelona. The trip along the coast had some nice scenery particularly through areas similar to the Camargue marshes. We arrived at the central station which had a direct link to the Metro line we wanted, which exits at the Sagrada Familia cathedral - in fact our apartment is straight across the road from it.
This cathedral has been under construction since 1882 and the design is by Antoni Gaudi. Unfortunately, this means it's still a building site as there is a lot more construction to do, including four more towers; but the sheer size and design are phenomenal. We've already done a lap around the block to check it out from all angles.

Steph's update

I would recommend a visit to Lagrasse, a couple of days or a week, it's easy to get into the rhythm of the place. A week was great, time for long walks but also time to sit and ponder, eat good food and relax. Lazy nature lovers got to sit on the terrace and watch trout and even a small otter going about its business in and out of the water and through the reeds. We watched tourists wander along the other bank.
A group of about twenty older (even older than us) cyclists, clad in lycra (some not very cyclists shaped!) pedalled through town one day, stopped for lunch and pedalled on, I was most impressed.
Our hosts and the people staying upstairs were great company for a couple of nights of  sitting on the terrace and sharing a story or two over wine and snacks, watching the sun go down.
Yesterday we moved on. Our little car (and its driver) took to the motorway with glee. No more slow, winding roads or narrow village streets to negotiate, or signposts to check, or cyclists or avoid. Just straight double lanes. We managed a steady pace of about 115 to 120 kilometres an hour which was much too slow for just about every other vehicle but we did manage to overtake a truck and a caravan and duck back in before another car zoomed by. Getting back to the airport and leaving the car turned out to be easy.
View out our window.

Yesterday's rain and loud storm last night cleared to a beautiful day so we headed up to La Cité Médiéval. We are glad this wasn't the first castle we visited because it made all the others look rather ordinary. It started as a Roman fort, was built onto in Medieval times and Carcassonne academics (see, they do come in handy) had the foresight to organise a restoration of it in the 19th century. This took 50 years.

We were impressed - the awe factor is relative to the number of photos we take - and we seemed to take heaps but promise not to bore everyone with them. I wonder who will have the insight to save our heritage, surely we must have somethings that will inspire people in 800 years time.
We walked back down through the city, had a cool drink, climbed those 3 flights of stairs and are now sitting deciding what we will do for dinner. Perhaps a meal out and an early night.

Last days of Lagrasse

Today we left Lagrasse to drive back to Carcassonne. To finish our stay in Lagrasse, over the last few days, we did the reverse walk over Charlemagne's bottom (don't ask; I don't know) and got some good photos of the town from up above. We had our hosts, Michael and Nicole, down for drinks and ate and drank so much we didn't bother with dinner. We spied a small black otter in the river - probably chasing some of the small trout we've also seen in there.
Stephanie has done a little more retail therapy and we went out for lunch (La Petite Maison) and dinner (Les Trois Grâces); both delicious.
We got ourselves onto the autoroute today to get through Carcassonne to the airport where we had to drop off the car. With Stephanie navigating, it was a breeze; got the airport shuttle bus into the city, then a two minute walk to the apartment.
We've already been for a short walk - mainly to find a supermarket - through the maze of ancient streets while trying to stay out of the misty rain.
The apartment has been recently been renovated but is unfortunately up three flights of stairs. The view out the window of the fortified city almost makes up for that, although currently obscured by the rain.
Will probably have an early night tonight as we had a 6:30 start this morning - had to get up to listen to the ABC radio feed of the AFL grant final. Gotta love those Hawks!

Sentier Sculpturel

Followed our hosts' advice and drove to the tiny village of Meyronne, about ten minutes from Legrasse. We parked the car and took off into the hills keeping an eye out for the many "Sentier Sculpturel" (sculpture trail) signs along the way as well as the embedded mosaics showing the direction.

"Blue String River"

The trail was very steep in parts, sometimes narrow, other times vehicle width. In one part we had to climb a step ladder to get over a new electrified fence around a vineyard and then back over 200 metres later. It was a fine way to get lost in the hills for a couple of hours. The only other living things we saw were insects - mostly flies and small grasshoppers.

There were many stops to admire the varied, unusual and dramatic sculptures installed in some very inaccessible places.

Here is a selection.

Catching up

Yesterday, after our walk we visited the Abbaye Sainte Marie de Legrasse. This Benedictine Abbey had its origins in the 7th century. Part of it is owned by the community (that's the part we visited a few days ago) and the section today is still used by the order. Extensive renovations and restorations have been carried out in the last 5 years. Some of it is open to the public and there was a short video that showed the working lives of the monks; early to rise, much prayer, learning and contemplation and seemingly very little talking. Not sure I'd make the cut but it is a quiet, serene place to wander about.

They have a wonderful garden restored to its original medieval style - woven cane sided beds with vegetables, herbs and flowering plants. Sitting here and looking back across to the town and the old wall gives a real sense of times passed.

Today we made a trip to a larger supermarket. Lagrasse has an épicerie, a small general store, that has kept us going for the last couple of days - open in the morning, closed for a few hours in the middle of the day and reopens late in the afternoon, but closed on Monday. Have to love the French way of doing things.
Our little car chugged up the hills out of town and the along a wide valley floor with many vineyards and olive groves and the occasional very old and gnarled olive tree. We drove through small narrow-road villages and towns, all with their share of cafes and restaurants and the compulsory outdoor eating area to watch the world pass by.
The roads were mostly straight and like the country roads we have at home. There are no double lines just arrows pointing back to your side of the road. I think they mean get back over now because you are scaring the pants off the tourists who are toddling along towards you.
We got our weekly supplies (somehow even supermarket shopping is more interesting). We included a couple of bottles of wine, just because you can. All supermarkets have a wine selection and this one had an extensive range but we couldn't be sure which ones were local.

We have decided our special, super power is to head out for somewhere, get completely lost, take an interesting scenic drive and yet still manage to end up where we wanted to be. This explains our longer trip back. We're not complaining as we get to see more of the country this way and our small car (that makes us feels a tiny bit like Stuart Little) uses hardly any fuel.
Met for drinks with our upstairs neighbours, enjoyed the company and the rather late dinner, hence the slow start today. It is drizzling and overcast. The weatherman says it will fine up by this afternoon, so we may get in our planned walk.

Lagrasse

Toured the local medieval Abbey. It's a 12th century construction, amazingly well preserved in parts. You could really imagine life functioning within its walls.

This translates as "all things yummy!"

Went to a Bach recital in the local church yesterday afternoon. Baroque music in a unique setting.

Went for a  walk today, okay for you usual trekkers perhaps it was a mere stroll. We started across the bridge and up a relatively step climb. After this half hour slog we reached a plateau overlooking vineyards and olive groves, tree covered hills and the Pyrenees - very French and very beautiful.

Yes it was quite steep in parts.

We really did climb up a long way.

Some pictures of the local flora - or an excuse to have a rest.

"We lugged all these rocks up here and had to think of something to do with the leftovers."

Chris assured me that the bears they were reintroducing (he read this in a novel!) were in the Pyrenees those slight blue smudges in the distance so it really was safe to forge ahead.

Chris collecting some wild rosemary to add to dinner.

The coming down track was much easier than the going up path we took, that's why the people we met were all going in the opposite direction!
Surely a walk = 1 pastry or some cheese, baguette and a glass (or 2) of wine
or all of the above.